Mailable pocket file folder

ABSTRACT

Conventional pocket folders are modified by providing a sealing flap along an outer edge, thereby permitting them to be mailed without requiring a separate envelope. Further modifications facilitate labeling the folder for use in a filing system.

United States Patent Holmes 1 1 Sept. 4, 1973 [5 MAILABLE POCKET FILE FOLDER 905,542 12/1908 King 229/72 [75] Inventor: David Holmes, Marietta, Ga. I73] Assignee: Curtis 1000 Inc., Smyrna, Ga. Primary um l Rot-hberg Att0rneyR1chard E. Brink [22] FiICdI Oct. 12,1971

1211 Appl. No.: 188,331

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl 229/80, 229/72, 229/81 Conventional pocket folders are modified y providing [5] I hit. Cl 865d 27/14 a Sealing p along an outer edge thereb ermiuin sx F Id rs h 229/80 81 72 H g L I 0 care them to be mailed without requiring a separate envelope. Further modifications facilitate labeling the l56| References C'ted folder for use in a filing system.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 443,505 12/1890 Donnell 229/81 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures MAILABLE POCKET FILE FOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to pocket folders of the type suitable for protectively retaining printed sheet material and the like.

Pocket file folders made of tagboard and the like have been standard items of commerce for many years, various modifications having been provided to meet specific needs for holding music, instructional materials, sales literature, etc. These folders typically include substantially identical first and second rectangular panels, each having a face, a back, a top edge, a bottom edge, an inner side edge and an outer side edge, the inner side edges being connected, ordinarily along a common fold line. A folder can thus be opened so that the panels are side by side or closed so that the panels are superposed.

Connected to the bottom edge of each panel and overlying the face thereof is a generally rectangular pocket forming flap, which may extend across both panels or be separate for each panel. The outer edge of at least one pocket forming flap may be connected to the outer edge of a panel across which it extends, forming a side closure for the pocket, and may also be connected at, or adjacent to, the fold line between the panels. If desired, the pocket forming flap may have an accordion expansion fold at one or both edges and the bottom to increase capacity of the pocket. To retain material in the pocket (or pockets), a closure tab is typically connected to the top edge of each panel and folded over the contents of the pocket.

Although extremely versatile and widely used, folders of the type described have heretofore been mailable only when enclosed in a separate envelope or other container. Rising costs of envelopes and soaring postal rates are rapidly making this practice prohibitive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING To assist in understanding the invention, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing, which like numbers refer to like parts in the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a mailable pocket folder of the invention in open and unsealed condition;

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged view of the rear of the folder in closed and scaled condition; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the folder shown in FIG. 2, taken along section line 3-3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the scale being still further enlarged to facilitate understanding.

DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT edges (16, 26) along a fold line is a pocket-forming flap, having subparts 12 and 22, outer edge 24 of panel 20 being connected to the corresponding edge of pocket-forming flap part 22 by gummed tab 23. Subparts 12 and 22 may be either continuous, as shown, or separate. Connected to top edge 14 of panel is closure I flap 11, and connected to top edge 25 ofpanel is similar closure flap 21. Flaps l1 and 21 may be either separate, as shown, or continuous, as is the case with the pocket forming flap. Printed sheet material or the like is placed n the pockets defined by the faces of panels l0 and 20 and the opposed face of corresponding pocket-forming flap 12 and 22. Closure flaps l1 and 21 are then folded over the material and the unit closed by folding along fold line 30.

Connected to outer edge 14 of panel 10 along a perforated tear line (which coincides with edge 14) is gummed sealing flap 13. When the folder and enclosed material is to be mailed, sealing flap 13 is folded over the back of panel 20 and adhered thereto along edge 24-24a. The back of panel 10 may then be provided with the name and address of an intended recipient, after which the sealed folder is stamped and mailed. Upon receipt of the sealed folder, the addressee opens it by tearing along the perforate line at edge 14, after which the folder may be used in a conventional manner.

In order to facilitate use of the folder of the invention, upper outer side edge 24a of panel 20 may be cut back so that it does not lie so far laterally outward as lower outer side edge 24. The opposed upper outer portion of panel 10 adjacent edge 14 may then be labeled to simplify location of the folder in a file drawer. To further enhance utility of the folder in a filing systern, only the outer edge portion of flap 13 is gummed, the width of closure flap 11 being such that no gum contacts the face of panel 10 when the structure is sealed. Sealing flap 13 may then be modified by providing it with a perforated line, generally conforming to the contours of edge 24a or at some other suitable location. After tearing the sealed folder along the perforate line which coincides with edge 14, the user may then either completely strip away sealing flap 13 or tear it along perforated line 18 to expose the labeling area on panel 10 (or, if flap 13 has been adhered to panel 10, the portion of flap 13 which is adhered along the labeling portion of panel 10). Alternatively, adhesive may be omitted from the portion of sealing flap 13 which is bounded by edge 14 and perforate line 18, so that flap 13 will not stick to the exposed face of panel 10, which may be provided with printing or a label. If the entire surface area of flap 13 is coated with adhesive, it may be desirable to provide a release coating along the edge of panel 10 or to interpose a separate sheet of paper in this location to prevent disfiguring the labeling area. Still another way to prevent flap 13 from adhering to panel 10 is to coat both flap 13 and the rear surface of panel 20 adjacent edge 24-24a with self-adhesive dry gum, omitting gum from the face of panel 10 which will be contacted by sealing flap 13.

As will be apparent, the features of the invention are applicable to a wide variety of pocket folders; thus, the scope of the invention is to be defined only by the following claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a pocket folder of the type wherein substantially identical first and second rectangular panels, each having a face, a back, a top edge, a bottom edge, an inner side edge and an outer side edge, said panels being connected along their inner edges, whereby the folder can be either opened so that the panels are side by side or closed so that the panels are superposed, a pocketforming flap connected to the bottom edge of at least one of said panels and overlying the face of said panel, a gummed tab connected to the outer edge of said one of said panels, said tab overlying said one of said panels and being secured to said pocket-forming flap, a closure flap connected to said top edge of said panel and folded over the face thereof to assist in retaining material in said pocket, the height of each panel exceeding the combined height of the pocket-forming flap and the closure flap which lie thereover,

the improvement which comprises a gummed sealing flap connected to the outer side edge of the first panel, whereby (I) said folder, containing desired sheet material, can be closed, the sealing flap adhered to the back of the second panel adjacent the outer side edge and mailed without an enclosing envelope and (2) the sealed folder can be opened by severing the connection between said sealing flap and said first panel, thereafter functioning as a pocket folder. 2. The pocket folder of claim 1 wherein the sealing flap is connected to said first panel along a perforated line to facilitate opening the sealed folder.

3. The pocket folder of claim 2 wherein an upper portion of the second panel adjacent the outer edge thereof is cut away to facilitate labeling opposed portions of the first panel or sealing flap not covered by said second panel when the folder is closed.

4. The pocket folder of claim 3 wherein a portion of the sealing flap is perforated along a line generally corresponding to the upper outer edge of the second panel, thereby facilitating its removal to expose the labeling portion of the folder.

5. The pocket folder of claim 4 wherein a substantial portion of that portion of the sealing flap lying between the perforated line thereon the the outer edge of the first panel, is non-adherent to the corresponding portion of said first panel.

6. The pocket folder of claim 3 wherein the portion of the sealing flap overlying the exposed portion of the first panel is free from adhesive.

t t l l 

1. In a pocket folder of the type wherein substantially identical first and second rectangular panels, each having a face, a back, a top edge, a bottom edge, an inner side edge and an outer side edge, said panels being connected along their inner edges, whereby the folder can be either opened so that the panels are side by side or closed so that the panels are superposed, a pocket-forming flap connected to the bottom edge of at least one of said panels and overlying the face of said panel, a gummed tab connected to the outer edge of said one of said panels, said tab overlying said one of said panels and being secured to said pocket-forming flap, a closure flap connected to said top edge of said panel and folded over the face thereof to assist in retaining material in said pocket, the height of each panel exceeding the combined height of the pocket-forming flap and the closure flap which lie thereover, the improvement which comprises a gummed sealing flap connected to the outer side edge of the first panel, whereby (1) said folder, containing desired sheet material, can be closed, the sealing flap adhered to the back of the second panel adjacent the outer side edge and mailed without an enclosing envelope and (2) the sealed folder can be opened by severing the connection between said sealing flap and said first panel, thereafter functioning as a pocket folder.
 2. The pocket folder of claim 1 wherein the sealing flap is connected to said first panel along a perforated line to facilitate opening the sealed folder.
 3. The pocket folder of claim 2 wherein an upper portion of the second panel adjacent the outer edge thereof is cut away to facilitate labeling opposed portions of the first panel or sealing flap not covered by said second panel when the folder is closed.
 4. The pocket folder of claim 3 wherein a portion of the sealing flap is perforated along a line generally corresponding to the upper outer edge of the second panel, thereby facilitating its removal to expose the labeling portion of the folder.
 5. The pocket folder of claim 4 wherein a substantial portion of that portion of the sealing flap lying between the perforated line thereon the the outer edge of the first panel, is non-adherent to the corresponding portion of said first panel.
 6. The pocket folder of claim 3 wherein the portion of the sealing flap overlying the exposed portion of the first panel is free from adhesive. 